Though a previous leak did give away a bit of the surprise, Blizzard has officially announced the Necromancer will be joining the Diablo III roster.
A fan favorite from Diablo II, the Necromancer has the ability to control armies of skeletons. A reimagining of the original, the Diablo III Necromancer will not have every classic skill, but will still be heavily inspired by the class long-time Diablo players grew to love. His skills will include the likes of Corpse Explosion, Bone Spear, Siphon Blood, Blood Rush, and, of course, Summon Skeletons.
Still in very early development, there is only so much Blizzard is willing to share about the new class just yet. Addressing one of the first concerns right out of the gate however, Blizzard notes, “The Necromancer and Witch Doctor are quite different in both theme and play style.” Both built around summoning followers, the Witch Doctor was thought of as a replacement for the Necromancer when Diablo III first launched.
“Necromancers can expect darker, more controlled gameplay centered around the raw materials of life: blood and bone. Grounded in a philosophical, pragmatic approach to life and death, they’re more like a calculated conductor of the darkest arts. Deadly serious in their practice, they are the experts of curses and reanimation—and their pets obey their every command.”
Releasing sometime in 2017, the new class will be part of the Rise of the Necromancer character pack. Though Blizzard has yet to detail how much it will cost, the pack includes the new class, plus “an in-game pet, two additional character slots, two additional stash tabs (on PC), a portrait frame, pennant, banner, and banner sigil.”
Fans can also look forward to the original Diablo being recreated in Diablo III in celebration of the series’ 25th anniversary. Meanwhile, the Necromancer is playable on the BlizzCon show floor.